Andiron



' Unit-ed States Patent Robert N. Frazer Box 431, Marion, Kentucky 42064 Application No.: 746,980

Filed: July 23, 1968 Patented: Aug. 4, 1970 Inventor:

ANDIRON 6 Claims, Drawing Fig.

U.S. Cl. 126/298 Int. Cl. F23h 13/00 Field of Search 126/298,

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 333,382 12/1885 Belding 126/298X 2,031,732 2/1936 Plym..... 126/298 3,001,521 9/1961 Reilly 126/121 Primary Examiner- Charles J. Myhre v An0rne Clarence A. OElrien and Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A fire dog consisting of an elongated square firewood supporting bar welded at one end to an elongated transversely extending relatively shorter bar, the first bar, in operative position, inclining rearwardly toward the back ofa fireplace.

, Patented Aug. 4, 1970 Roberf N. Frazer INVENTOR 9 BY WWW Em U.S. PATENT 3,522,798 ANDIRON The instant invention is generally concerned with fireplace accessories, and more particularly relates to a unique andiron or fire dog.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an andiron which is capable of functioning in a manner so as to effectively support and retain firewood within a fireplace as the wood is being consumed, while at the same time in no way interferring with the free introduction of wood, and especially large logs, into supported position on the andiron. ln cidentally, it will of course be readily appreciated that the andiron of the instant invention is to in fact be utilized in pairs with the wood being supported on both andirons and spanning the space therebetween.

Another significant object of the instant invention resides in the provision of an andiron wherein the forward upstanding post normally associated with conventional andirons is eliminated, the andiron itself being so constructed as to inwardly direct the wood thereon.

In addition, a significant object of the instant invention resides in the provision of an andiron which, while providing an effective support for wood, does so in a manner so as to expose a major portion of the wood, thereby facilitating combustion.

Furthermore, a particularly important object of the instant invention resides in the provision of an andiron which is of a highly durable stable construction capable of being economically produced.

Basically, the above objects are achieved through the provision of an andiron consisting of a first elongated polygonal bar welded, at one end thereof, to the top ofa transversely extend ing second relatively shorter bar in a manner so as to incline rearwardly therefrom providing a supporting slope for firewood.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view ofa fireplace with a pair of andirons constructed in accordance with the instant invention utilized therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view ofthe andiron or fire dog comprising the instant invention; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective detail illustrating the manner in which the two members of the andiron are interconnected.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral is used to generally designate the andiron comprising the instant invention. As will be readily apparent from the drawings, the andiron 10 consists of a first elongated firewood supporting bar 12 and a second relatively shorter straight leg forming bar 14.

The leg bar 14 is orientated perpendicularly to the support bar 12 in underlying relation to one end thereof. Both bars 12 and 14 are straight and polygonal or, more particularly, square in cross-section, defining, in both instances, four full length angular corners or edges.

Both bars 12 and 14 are orientated with a diagonal thereof positioned perpendicular so as to present single upper and lower edges. Reference numerals 16 and 18 are utilized in designating the lower and upper edges of the leg bars 14, while the numeral 20 and 22 designate the lower and upper edges of the longer firewood support bar 12.

The actual engagement between the support bar 12 and leg bar 14 is effected through the provision of a V-shaped notch 24 centrally within the upper edge 18 of the leg bar 14 with the lower edge 20, of the support bar 12, at a first end of the bar 12, being seated within the notch 24 and in fact permanently affixed therein by welding 26. In this manner, a highly rigid and in fact integral unit is provided.

As will be appreciated from FIGURE 2 the andiron 10, upon being positioned in operative location within a fireplace 28, inclines rearwardly and downwardly toward the back 30 of the fireplace so as to in effect provide a rearwardly and downwardly directed slope upon which the firewood 32 is to be placed. The provision of the slope, effected simply although uniquely by the provision of the leg bar 14 at the forward end of the support bar 12, is highly significant in that the firewood 32 loaded thereon will tend to move rearwardly into the fireplace 28 which in turn results in an effective means for retaining the firewood as it is being consumed, without having to provide cumbersome and interferring forward vertical posts as in conventional andirons. As will also be readily apparent, the elimination of such front posts also eliminates the major cause of difficulty in placing firewood, especially large logs.

Another significant feature of the andiron 10 of the instant invention is the utilization of an upwardly directed edge 22 for the support of the firewood. In this manner, only a linear contact is made with the firewood so as to expose a maximum amount of the wood for facilitating the combustion thereof. In addition, this linear contact also facilitates the natural tendency for the firewood to slide inwardly into the fireplace rather than tending to move forwardly therefrom. It will also be appreciated that the elongated and full length lower edge 16 of the bar 14 which contacts the floor of the fireplace provides, in conjunction with the substantially point contact of the lower surface of the inner end of the support bar 12, a highly stable andiron wherein any possibility of the andiron tipping or falling over is completely eliminated.

While not specifically limited thereto, it is contemplated that the bars 12 and 14 be anywhere from one and one-half inches to two and one-half inches square with the leg bar 14 being approximately six inches long and the support bar 12 from fifteen to twenty-four inches long depending upon the depth of the particular fireplace.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a highly unique andiron or fire dog has been defined, this andiron consisting solely of two elongated square bars with the longer of the bars fixed centrally to the shorter bar and inclining outwardly therefrom so as to, in operative position, define a sloping freely accessible firewood seat. The andiron, constructed in this manner, supports and positions firewood for maximum combustion in a safe and convenient manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only ofthe principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Iclaim:

l. A fireplace andiron comprising an elongated firewood support member and leg means therefor, said leg means being located below said support member and extending transversely thereacross at a first end of said member, said leg means including a top and a bottom, said leg means being rigidly affixed to said support member at said first end, the second end of said support member having the lower surface thereof generally coplanar with the bottom of the leg means, said support member inclining between the first and second ends thereof, said support member comprising a polygonal support bar having a plurality of substantially full length angle corners defined at spaced points circumferentially thereabout, said support bar being orientated with one of said angular corners upwardly directed so as to define a linear bearing edge for firewood, one of said angular corners being downwardly directed, said leg means comprising an elongated leg bar, said leg bar having a seating notch defined substantially centrally in the top thereof, said downwardly directed support bar corner, at

the first end of the support bar, being seated in said notch, and means rigidly fixing the first end of the support bar to the leg bar.

2. The andiron of Claim 1 wherein said leg bar is polygonal with angular corners, one of said corners being upwardly directed and having said notch defined therein.

3. The andiron of Claim 2 wherein said support bar and said leg bar are square.

4. A fireplace andiron consisting solely of a pair of perpendicularly orientated elongated polygonal bars, one of said bars being longer than the second of said bars and having a first end thereof rigidly affixed to the top of the second bar at approximately the center thereof, said one bar inclining laterally outward from the second bar and terminating in a second end having a lower surface, in operative position, positionable coplanar with the lower surface of the second bar.

5. The andiron of Claim 4 wherein said one bar constitutes a firewood support and is generally square in cross-section 

